Supreme Court rejects Somnath Bharti's bail plea

Supreme Court rejects Somnath Bharti's bail plea

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to grant interim bail to Aam Aadmi Party leader Somnath Bharti in a domestic violence and attempt to murder case filed by wife Lipika Mitra.

Bharti, who surrendered before the Delhi Police late on Monday night following Supreme Court order, had sought bail till October 5 alleging that he has been ill-treated by the police who made him sleep on the floor of lock-up. Bharti's counsel Gopal Subramaniam said the AAP leader wants to prepare for mediation with his wife.

But the bench of Chief Justice of India HL Dattu and Justice Amitava Roy said there is no assurance of any kind to give him bail on Monday. "We will hear mediation matter on Monday," it said.

The apex court also sought Lipika's presence on Monday to ascertain whether she would agree to Bharti's request for settlement of matrimonial dispute through mediation.

Bharti was arrested early Tuesday morning after he surrendered at Dwarka police station late Monday night following Supreme Court's direction.

The apex court had told Bharti that as a responsible citizen he should have surrendered to police rather than be absconding after two courts - trial court and Delhi high court - rejected his anticipatory bail plea.

The FIR against Bharti was registered at Dwarka North police station following a complaint by his wife Lipika Mitra. She claimed that Bharti used to beat and torture her and once tried to kill her.

The AAP MLA has been booked under various sections of the IPC including 307 (attempt to murder), 420 (cheating and dishonesty), 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust), 417 (punishment for cheating), 313 (causing miscarriage without woman's consent), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt), 498a (husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation).

Bharti had said it was a matrimonial dispute blown put of proportion by his wife and wanted the Supreme Court mediation centre to take up the case for settlement.

Photo credit: Indiatimes

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